Everyone’s Going To The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Every summer since 1938 (yes, even during Covid—it was a whole thing), people on motorcycles have descended onto a tiny South Dakota town to party, listen to whatever Buckcherry-adjacent band is playing, and admire a bunch of bikes. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attracts about half a million people each August to a town with a population of just 7,000.
If your GeoGuessr skills only work for NYC streets: Sturgis, SD, is about an hour north of Mount Rushmore, and six and a half hours south of the Canadian border by car—a driving distance that is perfectly acceptable to a Midwesterner.
Some of you never had a grandma who dated a guy with a Harley. If you haven’t secured your lodging for this year’s rally, you might be sleeping under a tree. Your options include booking a guesthouse 28 miles away in Rapid City, SD, for nearly triple its normal rate, or trying to nab first-come, first-served tent camping sites that can fill up a week before the rally even starts.
Liquor stores and leather bikini shops do well: The rally (and vendors in the surrounding counties) brought in about $1.6 million in state and local taxes last year, up 13% from 2024, according to the South Dakota Department of Revenue.
But…the overall benefit is nuanced. Former Mayor Kevin Forrester said in last year’s budget proposal that, in recent years, the Rally and Events expenses have consistently exceeded revenue.—MM
Become smarter in just 5 minutes. Subscribe to Morning Brew today.
Popular Products
-
Large Wall Calendar Planner$55.76$27.78 -
Child Safety Cabinet Locks - Set of 6$83.56$41.78 -
USB Touchscreen Heated Fingerless Gloves$75.56$37.78 -
Golf Swing Trainer Practice Stick wit...$21.56$10.78 -
Golf Swing Training Belt$41.56$20.78